Harvey Milk

Gavin Stockton
Period 1
4/22/18

Harvey Milk

Harvey Bernard Milk was the first openly gay politician, he was elected to the San Fransisco Board of Supervisors. Despite him being openly gay and the most pro LGBT rights of any politician he did not show significant interests in creating more gay rights until the rights movements during the 1960s. 

Harvey Bernard Milk was born on May 22, 1930, in the New York City suburbs of Woodmere by his parents William Milk and Minerva Karns. As a child, he was known to be teased for his physical features such as a big nose and was bullied by most of his peers. He developed an interest in football and opera when during his teenage years he began to notice his homosexuality. Once he graduated from Bay Shore High School in New York he attended New York State college where he studied about mathematics and eventually majored in it. After graduating from New York State he joined the US Navy during the Korean War and served on a rescue submarine as a rescue diver. He was later discharged from the Navy as a Luitenet Junior Major under the suspicion of his homosexuality, where at that time it was known for the military to send gay's home to have to deal with it at their home. 

After being discharged from the military Milk opened a camera shop on Castro Street in the recently growing San Francisco city. After having major success with his camera shop MIlk later ran for the City Boards of Supervisors for San Fransisco. Although he lost this is what organically launched Milk's political career, then again in 1973 Milk ran for the board of Supervisors but again loss however not as much this time. Since his friend, George Moscone who happened to be the mayor of San Fransisco appointed him as to the city board of permit appeals, officially making Milk the first gay politician in the US.